Desuperheater



March 13, 1928.4

F. M. BIRKS DESUPERHEATER Filed April 5, 1927 AA Y j@ M INVENTOR Ausili!!! Il x e ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES `PATENTy oF-Fics.

FALcoNER in. Braxs, or noNnomnNGLAn-D.

DESUPERHEATER.

Application led April 5, 1927, Serial No. 181,120, and in Great Britain February 9, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in and connected with de-Superheaters. In the usual de-superheater thewater spray -is regulated by a thermostat, or the like, that depends upon the degree of superheat contained in the steam. Such thermostats are liable to derangement. Moreover, in such de-superheaters there is danger that too much water will be passed through the sprayers, which water will pass oii' through the trap and be lost, while in addition there is the possibility of the water passing over into the mains and to the engine, or the like, in which the steam is being used.

These disadvantages are vavoided by the improved de-superheater forming the subject of the present invention, which is not dependent on thermostat control and will function eiiiciently no matter how large a quantity of water is passed through the sprayers.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing, which is a vertical section through an illustrative embodiment of the invention. In rthe form shown, the improved de-superheater comprises an upright vessel or container 1 in the form of a drum that has a superheated steam inlet 2, and opposite it a saturated steam outlet 3 near the upper portion of the vessel. A body'of water is contained in the vessel 1 and is' maintained'at a constant level by means of the float 4 that controls a valve 5 in the inlet pipe 6 for the water.` The water may he introduced through the pipe 6 by means of a feed pump, or the likee-not shown. The vessel 1 may be provided with an overflow pipe 7 thatl leads to a trap 8, so that the water level will be prevented from becoming too high in case the float 4 fails to close the valve 5 at the proper time.

Supported on a. transverse plate 9 within the body of the vessel 1 and between the superheated steam inlet 2 and the saturated steam outletfB, is a water spraying device consisting of a series of superposed nozzles 10 arranged on a vertical pipe 11 extending downwardly from the top of the vessel 1. This s raying device is* supplied continuously fiiom the body of water contained in the vessel 1 by means of a pump 12drawing its supply from the vessel 1 through the suction pipe 13, and delivering it by way of the pipe 14 to the spraying device. `The pipe 13 is provided with a branch pipe 15 with a valve therein, f so that drained whenl desired.

, The pump 12 is supplied with steam by a connection .16 leading from the saturated the ,device can be l steam outlet 3. A division plate 17 extends v across the vessel 1 to ensure that the whole of the high temperature steam whichenters at the inlet 2 is passed down the vessel 1 and will be incontact with the water from the sprays 10, and to ensure that the water will be thoroughly mixed with the steam. The

steam passes down the vessel l and up the space between the division plate 17 and thev outlet nozzle to the saturated steam pipe 3.

Vhen it is desired to remove all the superheat from the steam and obtain' saturated steam, it is merely sufiicient tol circulate water by means of the pump l2 at a suiliciently rapid lrate to pass enough water through the spraying device to exceedkthe minimum that is necessary to produce saturation of steam. This is because the water in the superheater is maintained at a constant level and being in contact with the steam is always at they saturation temperature of the steam. However, in case it is desired to remove less than the entire amount of superheat from the steam, a smaller quantity of water may be circulated by means of the pump 12 and sprayed through the s raying device, thus leaving a portion oi the superheat in the steam as it is thereby partially de-s'uperheated. l

I claim:

l. A de-superheater comprising a container having a steam inlet and a steam outlet in the upper portion'thereot, means for causing the steam to reverse in direction between the inlet and outlet, means for maintaining a body of water in the lower portion oi' said container, a water spraying device in said container between the steam inlet and steam outlet, and means for transferring the water in the vessel to the spraying device. i

v2. A de-Superheater comprising a container having a steam inlet and a steam out` let in the upper portion thereof, means for maintaining a body of water in the lower portion of said container, a water spraying.

till

device'in said container between the steam cause the steam to reverse direction of flow,

and means for transferringthefwater in vice in said container'y extending-from .'tlie,

top downwardly between the steam inlet and steam outlet, said spraying device comprising. n pluralityo sprays and-means for" temere andspraying'it between said inlet transferring the water in ythey resselfftoy the spraying device.

4f. A' cle-superheater eomprisinga container having a steam inlet and a. steam outlet in the upper portion thereof` and means ope ated by. steam from the steam outlet for removing Water from the lower portion of saideontainenand spraying it between said inlet and outlet.'

5. Af de-superheater comprising :i eontainer having a steam inlet and n stezun outletiiin the n pper: portion. thereof: mnd means operative regardless of the an'iount o1 superlieat in the incoming steam ton removing water from the lonf'erportionof said eonand outlet.

FALCONER M. BIRKS. 

